List of Recommendations

Recommendation 1

2.61

The committee recommends the Senate Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee self refers an ongoing inquiry for oversight of the Inland Rail project.

Recommendation 2

2.66

The committee recommends the Australian Government commissions an independent review and update of Inland Rail’s 2015 business case that:

is an accurate reflection of current and anticipated Inland Rail expenditure and end-of-service offerings;

includes an assessment of all the proposed routes from Toowoomba to the ports of Brisbane and Gladstone, along with alternative routes subject to ongoing public scrutiny (particularly the Narromine to Narrabri and Border to Gowrie projects);

includes a sensitivity analysis on the impact of any proposed changes to Australia’s coastal shipping arrangements;

is developed in accordance with Infrastructure Australia’s guidelines and for Infrastructure Australia to review the updated business case; and

is made publicly available, and provided to the Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport Legislation Committee.

Recommendation 3

2.97

The committee recommends the Australian Government ceases any efforts to restructure coastal trading that may provide foreign-flagged ships with a competitive advantage over other modes of transport or disrupts Australia’s freight supply chain.

Recommendation 4

2.100

The committee recommends the Australian and state governments, in partnership with industry, integrate the Inland Rail project and associated intermodal terminals into the principles of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, including:

the development and adoption the national urban freight planning principles; and

the ongoing and expanded use of the Transport Network Strategic Investment Tool across the Inland Rail project to inform intermodal investment decisions.

Recommendation 5

2.101

The committee recommends that the Australian Government supports efforts to ensure intermodal freight planning applications demonstrate how intermodal terminals are linked to freight rail infrastructure, including Inland Rail.

Recommendation 6

2.102

The committee recommends Infrastructure and Transport Ministers, as part of the National Freight and Supply Chain Strategy, establish an Inland Rail working group to review and determine possible regulatory reforms to improve competitiveness, innovation, efficiency and use of Inland Rail.

Recommendation 7

3.21

The committee recommends the Australian and Queensland governments publicly release the business case study of a dedicated freight line to the Port of Brisbane upon its completion.

Recommendation 8

3.35

The committee recommends the Australian and Queensland governments, in partnership with local governments, industry representatives and other stakeholders, conduct a thorough investigation into an extension of the Inland Rail project to the Port of Gladstone.

Recommendation 9

3.62

The committee recommends the Australian and Queensland governments, in partnership with local resident groups, local governments, trucking and other freight and logistics companies, establish an Acacia Ridge and Bromelton working group to conduct an audit of existing road infrastructure of Acacia Ridge and other proposed intermodal locations in south east Queensland.

Recommendation 10

3.69

The committee recommends the Australian and Queensland governments publicly release, upon its completion, the business case study into south east Queensland’s Inland Rail intermodal terminals.

Recommendation 11

3.71

The committee recommends the Australian Rail Track Corporation, in partnership with the Queensland Government, ensures the Kagaru to Acacia Ridge and Bromelton project is reviewed to the same level of transparency, stakeholder consultation and participation as other coordinated projects in Queensland.

Recommendation 12

3.79

The committee recommends the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Australian and Queensland governments prioritise the development of the Inland Rail Bromelton intermodal terminal.

Recommendation 13

3.91

The committee recommends the Australian, Queensland and Victorian governments, in partnership with the ports of Melbourne and Brisbane, consider measures to implement and upgrade Inland Rail’s intermodal freight terminals to facilitate an international freight capability.

Recommendation 14

3.99

The committee recommends the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications enhances transparency and accountability of the Inland Rail Interface Improvement Program by publishing:

the selection criteria and assessments made by the department; and

successful proposals that may result in material changes and/or additions to the Inland Rail project.

3.100

In addition, the committee recommends the department ensure the Inland Rail Interface Improvement Program interlinks with NSW infrastructure under the Special Activities Precincts, such as those already connected to Inland Rail at key regional consolidation centres such as Moree, Narrabri and Parkes.

Recommendation 15

3.102

The committee recommends the Australian Government supports state and local governments efforts to prioritise and expedite planning approvals for intermodal terminals that have clearly demonstrated a capacity to efficiently link Inland Rail to other key rail and road freight routes.

Recommendation 16

4.57

The committee recommends the Australian Rail Track Corporation engages an independent mediator to facilitate an improved working relationship with the NSW Farmers Association and the Country Women’s Association of NSW.

Recommendation 17

4.59

The committee recommends the Australian Rail Track Corporation fosters improved local government consultation through regional forums aimed at generating community support for Inland Rail.

Recommendation 18

4.61

The committee recommends the Australian Rail Track Corporation conducts biennial independent reviews of its stakeholder engagement and consultation processes to ensure relevancy is maintained throughout all stages of the Inland Rail project.

Recommendation 19

4.63

The committee recommends the Australian Rail Track Corporation, in partnership with the Australian and state governments, establish a broader consultation and engagement framework to address community concerns for matters that extend beyond, but are interconnected to, the Inland Rail project.

Recommendation 20

4.65

The committee recommends the Australian Rail Track Corporation and the Australian Government establish a key industry stakeholder group to formalise ongoing discussions with industry about the Inland Rail project specifically.

Recommendation 21

5.54

The committee recommends that the Australian Rail Track Corporation addresses all issues identified by the Queensland independent flood panel’s findings and ensures all modelling and design issues identified are rectified as a matter of priority.

Recommendation 22

5.55

The committee recommends any lessons learnt from the Queensland independent flood panel’s findings are used to inform all floodplain modelling across the entire Inland Rail project.

Recommendation 23

5.88

The committee recommends the Australian and Queensland governments publicly release, upon its completion, the business case study into a future passenger rail pathway between Toowoomba and the Brisbane rail network.

Recommendation 24

5.91

The committee recommends the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Communications ensures a requirement is applied to the Public-Private-Partnership agreement that local suppliers, when practicable, are utilised throughout Inland Rail’s construction.

Recommendation 25

6.67

The committee recommends the Australian and NSW governments establish an independent international flood and hydrologist panel to conduct a review of the flood modelling and design features of the Inland Rail project in NSW. This panel should consider the findings of pre-existing reviews, including the findings of the WRM Water and Environment Independent Review of the Flood Modelling: Narromine to Narrabri Inland Rail Project.

Recommendation 26

6.69

The committee recommends the Australian Government establishes an independent comparative review of the current Narromine to Narrabri alignment with the proposed Dubbo-Coonamble line and alternative routes around Narrabri, taking into account both the impacts and potential broader economic benefits for regional economies and communities.

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